Himalayan Art Resources

Buddhist Deity: Ushnishavijaya Iconography

Ushnishavijaya Main Page

Subjects, Topics & Types:
- Description (below)
- Explanation of Iconographic Form
- Ushnishvijaya & Stupa (Painting)
- Ushnishavijaya & Stupa (Sculpture)
- Ushnishavijaya Stupa (Sakya Town)
- Amitabha with Halo (sculpture)
- Anomalies & Inaccuracies
- Confusions: Pratisara, Pancha Raksha
- Others...

Iconographic Forms:
- One face, two arms (solitary)
- Three faces, eight arms (solitary)
- Nine Deity, Mandala: HAR 58138, HAR 58267
- Thirty-three Deity Mandala: HAR 88540, HAR 79155
- Others...

[60] Ushnishavijaya.
Inside a vase stupa [above] a lotus and moon, ...Ushnishavijaya, with a body white in colour, three faces and eight hands. The main face is white, the right yellow and the left red. Each face has three eyes. The four right hands hold, a visvavajra, Amitabha resting upon a white lotus, an arrow and gesture of supreme generosity. The left, a wrathful [gesture] together with a lasso, a bow, gesture of fearlessness and a nectar filled vase. Having jewel ornaments and garments of silk. Seated in the vajrasana [posture]. (Bari Gyatsa edited version by Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrub (1497-1557), bibliographic information. Based on the Bari Gyatsa of Bari Lotsawa Rinchen Drag, 1040-1112 [P3731).

Ocean of Sadhanas:
95. Ushnishavijaya, White with Three Faces and Eight Hands
96. Ushnishavijaya, White with Three Faces and Eight Hands; Nine Deities

Nartang Gyatsa:
32. Ushnishavijaya (Solitary): Nine Deity
--- Avalokiteshvara
--- Vajrapani
--- Achala
--- Takkiraja
--- Niladanda
--- Mahabala

Drugpa Kagyu (22 Sadhanas):
15. Ushnishhavijaya (page 401)

Zurkha Gyatsa:
17. Bya rgyud de bzhin gshegs pa’I rigs kyi gtsug gtor rnam rgyal ma lha dgu’I sgrub thabs dang rjes gnang

"...Ushnishavijaya, the colour of an autumn moon, with three faces, white, yellow and blue and eight hands. Each face has three very large eyes. The first right hand holds a vishvavajra, second a white lotus with Amitabha [Buddha] residing, third an arrow and the fourth in [the gesture of] supreme generosity. The first left holds a vajra lasso, second a bow, third [in the gesture of] bestowing protection and fourth in [the gesture of] meditative equipoise holding an auspicious nectar vase; complete with silks and jewel ornaments, seated in [vajra] posture. Within the outer circle of the stupa, on the right [side of the chaitya], above a moon is Avalokiteshvara with a body white in colour, the left hand holds a lotus. On the left [of the chaitya], above a sun is Vajrapani, blue, the left hand holds an utpala with a vajra; standing in a peaceful manner and adorned with silks and jewels." (Jamyang Kyentse Wangpo, 1820-1892).

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Jeff Watt [updated 5-2017, 1-2020]

(The images below are only a selection of examples from the links above).